Luminajre



Oct. 17, 1939 H. E. BUTLER LUMINAIRE FiledDec. 14, '19s? Pig. 4.

Inventor Henry BButleP, 9 7+ 4 AMA His Attovneg.

Patented Oct. 17, 1939 PATENT OFFICE LUMINAIRE Henry E. Butler, Scotia, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application December 14, 1937, Serial No. 179,700

5 Claims.

, My invention relates to luminaires and more particularly to multiple lamp luminaires.

. One object of my invention is to provide an improved structure for supplying current to the 2,5 auxiliary lamp in such luminaires.

For a better understanding of my invention, together with other and further objects thereof, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the center of alumi: naire having a main lamp and an auxiliary lamptogether with my improved means for supplying current to the auxiliary lamp; and Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are enlarged fragmentary views of the luminaire illustrating elements and modifications of my invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, Fig. 1 discloses a luminaire comprising a base I0, a globe I I ,and a canopy I2. These elements are preferably made of a refractory material such as glass, but may be'made of any other translucent or 25 transparent material such as, for example the synthetic resins of the urea formaldehyde group. The base It is mounted on a post I3, only the top of which is shown. The globe rests on the base, and'the canopy rests on the globe. A main lamp I4 with its socket I5 is supported by the base I through U-shaped brackets I6 and I1, which are attached to said base, and an adjustable frame I8'to which the socket I is attached. The frame I8 may be vertically moved relatively .to the 5 brackets I6 and I1, and may be clamped thereto 7 by thumb screws I9. An auxiliary lamp 2|, to-

gether with its socket 22, is mounted in the canopy I2 by means of a bail 23. This bail is attached to the socket 22 and is drawn up into the end of the canopy by means of a pinnacle 24 to which is attached a stud 25, which projects through the canopy and is threaded into the bail 23.

Current is conducted to the main lamp I4 in 5 the usual manner by conductors 26 and 21 attached to terminals 28 on the socket I5. Current to the auxiliary lamp 2|, however, is, in accordance with my invention, carried through a second circuit including conductors attached to the in- 50 her surface of the globe and to the canopy. This circuit may be traced from supply circuit conductors 30 and 3|, which project through the base I3into the globe I I and are respectively connected to terminals 32 and 33 which are supportsilient metal clips 34 and 35 are attached to the brackets I6 and II, respectively, and project downwardly into the neck portion of the globe II where they engage the conductors 31 and 31a attached to the inner surface of the globe. Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating the engagement of the clip 34 with the conductor 31 on the inner surface of the globe.

The conductors 31 and 31a which carry the current from the clips 34 and 35 are preferably ofa metallic foil, as indicated more clearly in Fig. 5, or of a metallic mesh 38, more clearly indicated in Fig. 6, which is attached tothe inner surface of the globe in any convenient manner. It is preferred to cement or glue these conductors to the inner surface of the globe so as to extend from the neck portion of the globe to the upper flange 39. Similar conductors and 4| extend along the inner surface of the canopy from the lower flange up into the dome portion thereof. The current is transmitted between the canopy and globe conductors by means of resilient S-shaped clips 42 and 43 made of resilient metal, such as hardened copper, for example, which engage the flange of the globe and resiliently engage the conductors 40 and M on the canopy when the latter is mounted upon the globe. Current to the auxiliary lamp socket 22 is carried from the conductors 40 and 4| through terminal clips 44 and 45 which are pressed against the inner surface of the canopy when the pinnacle 24 and its stud 25 is turned to draw the bail 23 upwardly. Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating the clip 44 in engagement with the conductor 40.

In the luminaire shown in Fig. 1, the canopy I2 is held in place on the globe II by springs 46 and 41 attached to the upper ends of the ornamental posts 48 and 49, any number of which .may, of course, be used. The springs 46 and 41 press the canopy downwardly against a packing ring 5I resting on the globe surface and in this position a good contact is established between the clips 42 and 43 with the conductors 40 and 4|. A release of the clips 46 and 41, however, makes it possible to remove the canopy together with the auxiliary lamp 2I without the necessity of touching the connections between the canopy and globe. Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the globe and canopy at this point and illustrates the manner in which the clip 43 engages the conductors 31a. and 4I while it is supported by the globe flange 39.

Fig. 6 illustrates one modification of my invention. The conductor in this instance is a fine wire mesh which will constitute a minimum obstruction to light projecting through the globe, and will be practically invisible. This illustration of a conductor which will cause a minimum of shadow on the glass globe is merely by Way of example. Many other forms of conductors within the scope of this invention, which may be equally efiicient for this purpose, will occur to those skilled in the art. The invention is, furthermo-re, applicable not only to new luminaires but may with equal facility be applied to old single lamp luminaires. The auxiliary lamp and the conductors with the necessary clips can be installed without any structural changes in-the glassware nor interference with the main lamp.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a luminaire the combination of a globe, a canopy therefor, a lamp mounted in said canopy, means for supplying current to said lamp including current conductors cemented to the inner surfaces of said globe and canopy, and cooperating terminal means between said canopy and globe arranged to make surface contact with said conductors and to conduct current from said globe to said canopy when said canopy is in its predetermined position upon said globe. I

2 In a luminaire, the combination of a refractory casing comprising a plurality of elements in adjacent relation to each other, a lamp attached to one of said elements, means for supplying current to said lamp including a current conductor in contiguous relation with the Wall of said element, at current conductor contiguous withv the wall of an adjacent element of said casing, a resilient conductor contacting said contiguous conductors of said adjacent elements at the juncture of said elements to establish a current conducting path therebetween.

ous conductor to transmit current to said lamp.

4. In a luminaire the combination of a base, a

globe resting on said base a canopy resting on said globe, a lamp' socket rigidly mounted in said canopy, and means for carrying current to said socket including conductors cemented to the inner surface of said globe. extending along the surface parallel to the axis thereof, conductors on the inner surface of said canopy extending parallel to the axis thereof, and resilient clips contacting the conductors of said globe and the conductors of said canopy respectively to establish a circuitbetween the conductors of the globe and canopy respectively.

5. In a luminaire the combination of a base,- a lamp socket mounted in said base, a globe resting on said base, a canopy resting on said globe, an auxiliary lamp socket mounted in said canopy, conductors extending along the surfaces of said globe and canopy respectively, resilient contact means for making surface contact with the conductors of said canopy and the conductors ofs'aid globe respectively, terminal means on said auxiliary lamp socket for connecting the canopy conductors to said socket, and resilient terminal means in said base for connecting said globe conductors to current teiminals in said base.

HENRY E. BUTLER. 

